Friday, March 28, 2008

Here is a fun video from some recent rehearsals of our new music. The tune is "Everybody Dance," my jazz version of Psalm 150. The musicians include Al Hamme on sax, Jeff Stockham on trumpet and French horn, Shawn McGloin on bass, and Ron Vincent on drums:

See also the video clip below. It's a solo piano version of "Krystallnacht" that I played at the Amistad Chapel, in the national headquarters of the United Church of Christ in Cleveland, OH. I give a quick explanation of the tune's origin to my friend Cliff Aerie, who hosted the performance while our band was on tour:

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Here is an old musician's joke: "Do you know why they call it free jazz?"

"Because that's what it pays."

Nevertheless, one of the cool aspects of this project is the inclusion of about a half-dozen tunes in the genre of free jazz. This is improvised music that is not restricted by tempo, tonality, or niceness. These pieces are a departure from the the way we normally approach our music, and they have been an interesting addition to our musical diet.

The creation of the free pieces has been an intensely satisfying part of the Psalms Without Words project, simply because the music is so honest. As we work our way through the new music, we are learning to let the music fly, without preconditions, restrictions, or unnecessary editing.

And this is how prayer is to be, as well. I've grown increasingly convinced that the primary reason why many psalms are never included in the church's liturgy is because they refuse to play it safe. They don't "clean up well." Some of them don't end well.

In a few days, we will gather on Good Friday to hear Jesus pray the opening words of Psalm 22: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The question is harsh, but is a deeply appropriate question from the cross. The question cannot be answered quickly. Nor can it deny the considerable pain that prompts it.

Give a listen to the clips. Prepare yourself for an album that includes some of the most honest music that you may ever hear.